Venice Biennale: Getting to the Giardini and Arsenale

Biennale Arte is the International Art Exhibition, titled “In Minor Keys” and curated by Koyo Kouoh. It takes place at the Giardini, Arsenale, other locations in Venice and Forte Marghera; the Biennale has hosted Special Projects at Forte Marghera as part of its Art and Architecture Biennales since 2018.

The Giardini and Arsenale are the two main exhibition sites to plan around. If you’re considering other events during your trip, the Venice festivals and events calendar gives broader context for the city’s cultural programme.

From Mestre, first reach Piazzale Roma or Ferrovia, then continue by ACTV vaporetto to the venue you’re visiting. Venezia Mestre station is about an 18-minute walk from Venice Park House; onward connections from there take you into Venice.

From Piazzale Roma or Ferrovia, routes 1 and 4.1 serve Arsenale, while routes 1, 4.1 and 5.1 serve Giardini Biennale. Route 6 also serves Giardini from Piazzale Roma. If you’re travelling from Punta Sabbioni, route 14 goes to San Zaccaria, where you can transfer to the routes serving either venue.

For help planning the rail leg, read the guide to Venice–Mestre train stations and connections.

The Giardini is one of the two Biennale Arte venues and has two entrances: Viale Trento 1260 and Sant’Elena on Viale IV Novembre. From Piazzale Roma or Ferrovia, routes 1, 4.1 and 5.1 serve Giardini Biennale; route 6 serves it from Piazzale Roma only.

Give yourself time for pavilion queues as well as the exhibition itself. Individual pavilions may limit entry based on capacity and visitor numbers, and the Biennale describes waiting-time estimates as indicative. Weekends are typically busier, so weekdays are the recommended choice if you want a calmer visit.

Small and medium-sized pets on a leash are admitted only to the Giardini green area, not the exhibition spaces described by this rule.

The Arsenale is the second main Biennale Arte venue, with entrances at Campo della Tana 2169/F and Ponte dei Pensieri on Salizada Streta. From Piazzale Roma or Ferrovia, take ACTV route 1 or 4.1; the route 1 Arsenale stop serves the Biennale’s Riva Ca’ di Dio information point and ticket office.

Plan for about three hours at the venue, then allow roughly ten minutes to walk between Arsenale and Giardini if you’re visiting both. Pets are not admitted to the Arsenale.

If you’re arranging a full day from Mestre, the one-day Venice route from Mestre can help fit the Biennale into a wider city itinerary.

Biennale Arte is open Tuesday to Sunday and closed Mondays, with some Monday exceptions. Opening hours change during the exhibition: from May to September, both venues open 11 am–7 pm, with last admission at 6:45 pm; later in the exhibition, they open 10 am–6 pm, with last admission at 5:45 pm.

Arsenale has later Friday and Saturday hours during part of the exhibition: it stays open until 8 pm, with last admission at 7:45 pm. Check the official site before you go, since opening details and ticket rules are time-sensitive.

The combined one-access ticket costs €30 and allows one entry to Giardini and one to Arsenale, on the same or different non-consecutive days. Reduced one-access tickets cost €20 for visitors over 65 and Venice residents, and €16 for students and/or visitors under 26; valid ID is required at the entrance for reduced tickets.

A €40 three-day multiple-access ticket is valid for three consecutive days, excluding venue closing days from the count. It is strictly personal, and you need valid ID at the entrance.

Tickets and guided tours are purchasable online only, with a €0.50 presale fee added to ticket and accreditation prices. Tickets do not require a visit-date reservation and can be used on any open day; a ticket does not have to be in the name of the person using it.

Allow about three hours for each venue, plus the walk between them and your return journey across Venice. The Biennale estimates an average self-guided visit of about three hours per venue, so visiting both calls for a substantial day rather than a brief stop.

Both venues have bars, restaurants, bookshops and restrooms with changing tables. They also provide courtesy electric-car transport for visitors with reduced mobility; strollers, walkers and wheelchairs are available subject to availability. A free cloakroom accepts small items, but not luggage or suitcases, so arrange luggage storage elsewhere before heading to the exhibition.